New Orleans Behavioral Health Council

Co-chaired by Metropolitan Human Services District and the City of New Orleans Health Department, and coordinated by LPHI, the Behavioral Health Council was established in 2012 to guide system-wide change. Since then, the Council has brought together over sixty-five community organizations and stakeholders from across the behavioral health, criminal justice, health, education, and housing sectors to set priorities, take action and create major systems change. With the key partners including system leaders, providers, advocates, and consumers, the Council is empowered and poised to advocate for policy change, influence funding, enhance collaboration, and create a dialogue with the community. Through the sustained partnerships, the Behavioral Health Council has been stable through transitions and administrative changes. This continuity and dedication to the mission from these core organizations have enabled the Council to stay active, expand, flourish, and create sustained momentum.

The mission of the Behavioral Health Council is to ensure a comprehensive and cohesive system of behavioral health care. The Behavioral Health Council endeavors to achieve a high-functioning behavioral health system that works collaboratively to meet the needs of vulnerable populations across the life span-a system that delivers the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

To achieve the mission the Council works on the following activities:

Community-wide education and information-sharing;

Development of system-level strategies to improve coordination; and

Advocacy for policies that improve behavioral health for all.

In July 2017, informed by community input and the key stakeholders the Council established priorities:

Improve interagency and interdisciplinary collaboration;

Improve the behavioral health continuum of care to improve mental health services for adults and youths;

Enhance data sharing and information exchange; and

Increase engagement with community members.

Upcoming Events:

Public Forum July 18, 2018, from 8:30 am - 12:15 pm at the New Orleans Jazz Market.

The forum will provide residents with an opportunity to learn about the progress, successes, and challenges the Council has encountered in its mission to create a comprehensive and coordinated system of behavioral health care within New Orleans.

Four panel presentations will be held throughout August at various locations across the city. Each panel will have a different focus, aligning with the four workgroups (Criminal Justice, Housing, Education, and Health and Hospitals). The panels will include some facilitated discussion, with most of the time allocated for questions from the audience. We are currently inviting speakers from various organizations to participate in the panel discussion.